Mechanically-rabbled ore-roasting furnace.



- PATENT-ED NOV. 27, 1906.

T. EDWARDS. MEGHANICA-LLY RABBLBD ORE ROASTING FURNACE.

APPLIOATION PILED'JAN. 27. 1905.

2 SHEETSBKEET I.

\mLiw Ki 3 Inventor ham 15' Ed ards.

aft-test Maw THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON. v. C

PATENTED NOV. 27, 1 906 T. EDWARDS.. MBGH-ANIGALLY RABBLED OREROASTINGFURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27. 1905.

fmzezzzoz: 7790mm? Edwards. g aua /w 2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

. mTmu HU IHHUU N Mmm THE NORRIS PETERS 2:0,, WASHINGTON. 1:. c.

t'fipecifieation 013. Letters. Patent.

:- Patented Nov.i27; 1906.

Applicatiomfiled anu ry 2'7, 1905. Serial-.Noi .242.951.

.1 0, all. whom it, maqyvconcern:

.;Be1it.known; that} I, THOMASlaEDNVIARD S 18. subject of the: -Ki-ngof. GreatFBr-itain' and Ireland ,5 residing at SebastopolfBallarat,inrthe State of Victoria, Commonwealth .of .tAustrajlia, havei inventedwcertain' new sand useful Improvements in MechanicallyRabbledQre-RoastingrFnrnaces eandi Ldo; herebyrideclare theftol-lowing to?be-=a full, clear, andexact description, of the invention;- such as.will enable othersskilledintheiart to.-which it appertains to make {anduse the-same.

=T-his1invention-re1ates to -several: improvements m lorerroastlnglfiurnaces, .one 4 of .its

principal objectsiloeing toi-secure a: furnace easy to work, economicalof fuehand capable vofayielding; anwexceptionally: large: daily; tonnageof properl-ymoasted crushed ore.

The 1 construction nmay wvary considerably :within the scope of 4 the 1invention but I for pnrposesz-ofwexplanationand description dia- ,gramsor' illustrationsaccompany this specification. =Inzthese:vari=ousportionsof a:fur-

11810613336 indicated.

:rEignr-e lrrepresents 1a planaview partly in horizontah section, soasto show at onecenid c8411. up-p erhearth and at the other end a lowerone. Fig.1 2 exhibits 33d longitudinal .vertic al section. F ig..-'3is-za side-selevation; ili ig. 4,.a transverse-section and Figs. ,36,rand; Tshow ;details vofqrab bless theffurnace' bein rot-that classiniwhich the .oreis mechanicalIy-rabbled and transferred 'frorn the 2feed area to the point oripointsuof discharge.

The .1 circles! described by! the rabble-arms may-covervare'as; as"dotted in Fig. 1,:with lateral and longitudinal vo-ve'rl ap .or.thelamount of. overlap. may: be; greater :or. lessthamthat .shown. I usesuperimposed :hearths Lapertured ro ofs; or arches i over them :and ma.pluralityoiseriesofrabbles tostir the ore on :said he arths, each:rabblehaving .(at different heights) :arms on meansto; rabblesuch-succes'si-ve; hearths, .suchearrabble being termed the claims a;multiple 1 rabble: for brevity. 'Means are adopted toregulatetheqheatat different: parts of thef'furnacerands toiecono- .mizeor intilize the :heat of the hot gases :which: areiid-ischarged; from.the-said hearths but the invention is not! limited: totthe her or Zdesin of} lon hearthsshown; nor to the: number of a lines: ofmultiple-rabbles: nor to.-=anyieatnre: similarly .variable: in;position,

size; or form.

ported, as by bar143.

The detailsi of i the furnace 1' may embody additions of well known 5parts not 1 herein claimed.

In; the illustrations some :parts are; inaccordance. with presentpractice. .The furnace has 1a; plurality of. lines. of'rabble-spindlerrotating overheadshafting27andr28, which are revolvedsimultaneously =at theesame speed, ,;and'=a corresponding plurality oflines of multiple rabbleswhich are revolved,their upper stemsxors'spindles. being-,markedB 1 I and the remainder of the stems 32,there being'driving'; means, vasggear-wheels 5130, connected tothezshafting-and the spindles, respectively.

126 represents ;,driving means, :as ygear- .Wheels,mountedcon shafting27and-28, the

saidwheels beingizdri-ven by suitable. means,

as; pulley29, with connecting mechanism.

flhe superimposed 3 hearths 1:2116 elongated 1 or reverberatory, the;multiple rabbles 1 having stems ;passing :through superimposed openings4'7- the arches or roofs of the said heart-hs land/1.

.48 .shows'a metal lining orboX (as of. cast- .iron) set 101fitted'inteachaperture 47, 4-9

showing a lining or: box- (used in some cases) deep enough i to extendthrough the .additional height of the -airschamberingjil. :In-

stea'dv of. one deep lining 49, however,. there are two :like 48 usedgenerally one :above and one below the said air-chambering.

The apertures 47 comprise aplnral ity. of longitudinal series a sosuperimposed that the rabblestems,-:with their arms attached, may

be lifted; npwardand out ofthe furnace or be i-nserted'with ease.iThe-rabbles are suitably supported, as by collars 52, on their Sindles, working on bearing-blocks 53,.secure tozany su itable iframing,as A6,- over the furnace. @Thewbase of. each rabble-stem hashan alinethesame; partly or completely,-as required'for ,eificient Working, andtherabbles (or some of them)- have stemslandarms which are hollow andpartitioned. Partitioning is shown (marked 36and 39) in the arms 37 40of the rabbles, extending for a minor or major part of the arm length,as illustrated in Fig. 7, and 35 and 38 show superimposed parts of avertical partition. The part of the hollow rabblestem above itswater-outlet needs no partition. The rabbles have, where desired, anysuitable teeth 44, and their stems are jointed or in sections bolted orsecured togetheras,

for example, at 54the course or circulation of water admitted (from anysuitable piping,

not shown) for cooling purposes to the rabble-stem top 59 being firstdownward to reach and pass along the various arms of the rabble, thenupward, the water emerging by its own pressure at the stem-outlet 34into a pan 33, (shown in Fig. 4,) both inlet and outlet being above thefurnace. The discharge frompans 33 is by any desired means, as pipes.(Not shown.) The partition 35 at its top is joined to one side of therabble stem.

which may be tapering, is formed in the t'a-- pered partition, extendingbetween the two hearths and extends the whole or part of the hearthlength and has means, as by open ings 24, at (one or) both sides,through which air may be admitted or passed through to cool the saidchambering or to utilize the air therein, the inlets being closed whendesired with suitable doors or means. (Not shown.)

The heated gases of combustion from the upper hearth are enabled to passdownward and then longitudinally for the utilization of their heat, asthrough fiues 11 12, into a subfiue or passage 14 and out at some suitable discharge, as 15. The lower-hearth heat is economized by thisarrangement.

One of the most serious drawbacks of old types of multiple-hearthore-roasting fur- 1 nace is the difficulty and in some'cases' theimpossibility of'maintaining on each hearth a 5 temperature to suit theore. When some of these hearths are working at the right temperature,others are so overheated thatthe roasting is unsatisfactory, theextraction yalue of the product being deteriorated.

Interhearth-chambering, however, permits of such control of the heat asto prevent even ores which contain a large percentage of sulfur frombecoming overheated on the upper hearth or hearths. If the temperatureof the hearth 2 is becoming higher than is desired, the furnace man willadmit fresh cool air to the interhearth-chambering and in any suitthelike.-

able way promote ventilation therethrough, so modifying the heat of thehearth above it. When the more or less heated interhearth-air is passeddownward, a passage or communication 21 from chamber 3 being providedtherefor, Fig. 1, it is delivered as into the ashpit 22, (fitted withunder damper 23 and closable air-tight door 50,) and "there is then aneconomy of fuel.

' The communication or well 21 may pass along any suitable course fromthe chambering to the ash-pit or to the fire-chamber 6 or On preventingor reducing sufficiently the influx of cold air to theinterhearth-chambering the hearth 2 can beheated as highly as necessaryto roast ore low in sulfur.

Bridges or walls across the hearths or fireplaces are shown at 7, 8, 9,and 10, the flue 55 leading gaseous products of combus' tion upward tohearth 2. 56 is a means or bridge provided when desired in flue 55 tofurther support hearth 2. The discharge from hearth 2* is through anysuitable holes, as 51, and to any suitable receiver. The holes may havea slide or regulator at 58 (not shown) for closing the same as desired.Usually the discharge from hearth 4 is through holes, as 45, Fig. 1.There may be several hearth discharge-holes at different distances fromthe hearth lower ends, each fitted with means of closure or regulation,to allow discharge of ore where and as desired.

The main fireplace is marked 6,'being at the lower end of the lowerhearth, and there is auxiliary firing by fireplace-5 at the other end ofthe furnace. The use of fireplace' 6 is in some cases sufficient, oreshigh in sulfur not needing so much fuel to roast them.

Ordinarily the level of fireplace 5 is-higherthang,

that'of fireplace 6. The end of chambering 3 is generally brought overthe fire chamber or box 6. i 16 indicates a damper or shutter, and whenit is open flue 1'2 communicates with a chimney or outlet 13. marked 67and is fitted to the lower'part' of fl'ue'21 above ash-pit 22, and when67 is closed the air from chambering 3 is cut off, so that it cannotpass to the'ash-p'it 22. An air-exit 66, with damper 68, is also usuallyprovided to "communicate (when damper 67 is closed) from the chambering3 to flue 12 and thence to subflu'e 14, if desired, or (aspredetermined) chimney '13. The means for discharge of air into thesubflue 14 are made when desired more direct.

There is a damper 17 to control or bar the passage of heated gases inrespect of flue 14, (extending beneath the lower hearth,') and a damper,as 18, controls or bars their pa'ssageas to any outlet, asf15. Flue 14has side openings or doorways, as20, with means (not shown) of closingsame, and may have suitablylocated inner doors 19 to close the fine atAnother damper is IIO will. As the stoppings of the linings 48 and 49fire-brick orlike blocks are used of special form to fit, tamped, aswith clay or clay and sand, the latter being brought to the hearthheightat all parts desired. The blocks are made convenient to insert orremove, means for gripping them being provided, and suitable innerflanges 57 in the linings 48 49 act as supports of the blocks during theoreroasting. The hearths may be stepped or stepped in part instead ofbeing inclined.

Shoes, as 44, Figs. 5 and 6, adapted to slide on or off the rabble-arms,are used on all arms where desired. The rabble-arms at those parts ofthe furnace where the heat will be sufliciently low may dispense withwater circulation. Thus upper hearth-arms at the end near the ore-feedto the upper hearth may be so made, while still retaining the means ofwater circulation in the rabble stems and lower arms. The speed of therabbles is varied when desired by varying the gear-wheels 30, and thegears driving the rabbles near a hearth end or ends are in some casesarranged to move them at double the speed of the adjoining rabbles. Theparts 41 to 43 are omitted where the stem .alinement is secured athigher points. The apertures 47 may extend otherwise than transversely,as at an angle to the direction shown, and the rabble-stems are restedwhen desired upon the upper ends of pins 42 above hearth 4.

Each water-circulating rabble-arm is usually provided With a removableplug at one or both ends 60 61. The. location of discharge from flue 14is in some cases at the side or sides before reaching the end 15. Flue14 is in some cases partitioned and the partition so apertured that thegases can be passed along one side of the partitioning and back at theother side thereof to an outlet or chimney.

The furnace-body construction may be of any suitable materials,adopting, for example, aniron casing lined with brick, or the body maybe built of brick with straps or bariron, the whole strongly stayed andbolted togeth r. a

To avoid in some cases repetition in the drawings, various features areomitted from some figuresas, for example, the passages 24 from Fig. 2,while customary devices, such as draft-apertures or fines to admitexternal air to fuel-chambers 5 6 or the like, are not shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent oftheUnited States, is

1.. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, multiple rabbles, a plurality of lines ofrabble-spindlerotating overhead shafting, and a plurality oflongitudinal series of superimposed closable apertures for insertion andremoval of multiple rabbles as indicated.

2. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposed hearths,a plurality of lines of rabble-spindle-rotatihg overhead shafting, and acorresponding plurality of lines of multiple rabbles as indicated.

3. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposed hearths,a plurality of lines of multiple rabbles having means for theirsimultaneous rotation at the upper parts of their stems.

4. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposed hearths,a plurality of lines of multiple rabbles having means for theirsimultaneous rotation at the upper parts of their stems, the location ofthe rabble-arms being such that they will describe circles intersectingone another longitudinally and laterally on each hearth.

5. In an ore-roasting furnace and in combination with superimposedhearths, multiple rabbles having each a stem constructed in sections,each section having an arm formed integrally therewith. and each havingan integral partition extending vertically of its stem portion andalining with the vertical partition in the adjacent section or sectionsand the horizontal arms having partitions inte gral therewith. and withthe vertical stempartitions, substantially as described.

6. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposed hearths, multiple rabbles having each a stem constructed in sections, andsupports, and means of rotation, and a water-inlet to and a wateroutletfrom the rabble-stem, each above the furnace, and partitioning withinthe rabble below the said outlet, and extending along the stem and alonga rabble arm or arms, each section of the stem having its partitionarranged to register with the partition in the adjacent section.

7. In an ore-roasting furnace, the combination with superimposedhearths, a rabble comprising a stem and a plurality of arms thereon, aninlet and an outlet for water both at the upper part of the rabble-stemand partitions in the stem and arrrs, that in the stem extending fromside to side of the same transversely to the axes of the arrns, thepartitions in the arms joining the side face of the said stem-partition,substantially as described.

8. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposed heartl".s, multiple rabbles having at different heights, arms, the lower one ofwhich is partitioned, a stem with wateroutlet partitioned below saidoutlet, and an upper non-Wat ercirculating foot.

9. In an ore-roasting furnace, a watercooled rabble, the stem of wlr ichis supported and has means of rotation at its u per end, and the base ofwl; ich has an a inementsocket slightly above the Ir earth.

10. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, interhearth-chambering adapted to serve as insulation, andhaving closable superimposed (or .top and bottom) apertures for theintroducl tion and removal of rotatable rabbles.

11. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, one or more longitudinal series of closable apertures ofelongated narrow form, over onebut under anotherhearth, for theintroduction and removal of rotatable rabbles.

12. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combi nation with superimposedhearths, interhearth-chambering having means for the admission of airthereto and means of discharge of air therefrom, for modifying thetemperature of the hearth above said chambering.

13. In an ore-roasting furnace, an airchamber, a hearth above the same,a hearth beneath the chamber, means whereby air may be admitted to thechamber and a passage for conveying the air from the said cham ber tothe ash-pit or fire-box, substantially as described.

14. In combination in an ore-roasting furnace, an air-chamber, a hearthabove the same, a hearth beneath the chamber, a subflue below the lowerhearth, means whereby air may be admitted to the chamber and means fordischarging the air from said chamober to the subilue, substantially asdescribed.

15. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, interhearth-chambering having closable top and bottomrabble-apertures, means for the admission of air, and a well for thedischarge of air as predetermined.

16. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, interhearth-chambering, means of admitting air thereto, anddischarging it therefrom at the sides, a flue or flues therefrom, and adamper or dampers to give, or to cut off, communication with an ashpit,fire-chamber or the like through a flue. I

17. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedhearths, a longitudinal partition of tapering form, andinterhearth-chambering also of tapering form having air inlet and exitapertures, and means for closing or regulating the same.

18. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combi nation with superimposedlongitudinal hearths, with an intermediate partition which is thicker atone end than at the other, the provision of air-chambering along thethicker part of the roof.

19. In combination in an ore roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths, afire-box at the end of the lower hearth, an air-chamber extendingbetween the hearths and extending over the said fire-box, and means forallowing'air to enter and discharge from said chamber, substantially asdescribed.

20. In an ore-roasting furnace, superimposed hearths with an air-chamberbetween them for heating fresh air, a fire-box over which a part of theair-chamberis located,

the ash-pit, a subflue under the furnacehearth and means for conductingthe heated air to the ash-pit or subflue, substantially as described.

21. In an ore-roasting furnace the combination of a hearth and a fluebeneath the said hearth, a pin projecting through the hearth from theflue beneath the same, means consisting of a bracket or bar in the flueforsup-v porting the pin, and a rabble-stem having its lower end restingon the pin, substantially as described.

22. In an ore-roasting furnace having superimposed hearths andinterhearth chame bering, a narrow, long, and deep closable lining orbox to extend from the arch or roof over one hearth, beyond thechambering, and into the hearth above, and adapted to allow of thepassage of a rabblestem and foot therethrough.

23. In an ore-roasting furnace, in combination with superimposedlongitudinal hearths a fire-chamber at the lower end of the lowerhearth,'and another fire-chamber at a higher level at the other end ofthe furnace at the lower end of a higher hearth, and

fire-bridges across each of the said hearths, and interhearthchamberingbetween the hearths with means for regulating the temperature therebysaid hearths communicating with each other adjacent the higherfirechamber.

24. In an ore-roasting furnace, the combination of superimposed hearths,closable superimposed roof-apertures for rabbles, interhearth-chamberinghaving means for admission and discharge of air, a plurality of lines ofoverhead shafting, and of multiple rabbles, a plurality of fireplaces,driving-gear for said shafting and rabbles, a subflue, means forintroducing the heated gases of combustion into the subflue, and meansfor discharging the ore from the respective hearths.

25. In an ore-roasting furnace, and in com bination, a hearth, a rabble,means at the upper end of the rabble for rotating the same, aliningmeans projecting up through the hearth and on which the lower end of therabble turns and a bar or bracket arranged below the hearth forsupporting the alining means, said alining means being stationary andthe hearth being practically solid, sub,- stantially as described.

26. In combination, in an ore-roasting furnace, superimposed hearths, arabble having an arm working in each hearth, an opening leading from onehearth to the other for the passage of the rabble-arm from the lowermosthearth and a filling for said opening to form practically a solid upperhearth, substantially as described.

27. In combination in an ore-roastingfurnace, superimposed hearths, anair-chamber between said hearths, two lines of rabbles,

- each rabble having a plurality of arms, one

for each hearth, the arms on each rabble being in the same Verticalplane and, openings arranged laterally and at each side of theairchamber to permit the removal of the rabbles, substantially asdescribed.

28. In combination in an ore-roasting furnace, superimposed hearths with'an intermediate partition which is thicker at one end than at theother, an air-chamber Within the thickened partition, a fire-box at thethickened end of the partition, but separated therefrom by the lowerpart of said partition extended over the said fire-box, substantially asdescribed.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses.

THOMAS EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

G. G. TURRI, B. M. LOWE.

